I wanted to capture my post-workout lines here…[warning: personal reflection post ahead]
In just over two weeks, I’m turning 34.
34.
Not old, really, but I feel like so much about my body has changed in the past couple of years. It’s hard to describe and the changes have been both positive and negative, and they wouldn’t be too diagnosable by a physician. Just changes.
Like on the negative, I’ve been experiencing semi-frequent migraines. They suck. I remember my mom having them about 10 years ago. She seemed to suffer quite a bit and now I know why. I’ve also been experiencing heightened ‘ditziness’ - clumsiness at times and forgetting people’s names and words…or the point I was trying to make mid-sentence. According to my mom, this is what she experienced as well. Between the sage wisdom I’ve gained over my years of experience (lol), I sound like a complete bimbo. I’ve been using ‘HorsePigCow’ more and more (see my About page for further explanation).
On the positive side, my body, especially my upper body, seems to be getting stronger. I can do more pushups, lift more and it even appears more muscly (although I need to work on making it look that way to others). My aerobic ability has also increased quite a bit. All of my life, I couldn’t run at all. I hated it. It was painful and tedious. Just today I got on the treadmill after not working out for a month and a half (and doing anaerobic activities like pilates before that) and ran at a brisk pace for 20 minutes without breathing hard at all.
Of course there is also the skin changes as well as the persistent ‘tire’. From what I hear, this is worsened by stress (someone say Vitamin B will help keep that at Bay). My obsession with skin care has kept Sephora and La Mer in business and I’m growing more and more interested in stuff like ’supplements’ and ‘homeopathic remedies’. Yikes!
I know I have a few female readers out there, so I’m wondering what you’ve noticed changing and when it started for you (guys experience this, too, so feel free to pipe in…I’m interested in how things change for you). Mine probably started about 2 years ago, but has been quite acute for the past year. There are so many positive things about being my age. So many things I’d love to go back and tell myself at 24. Of course I would also scold that 24 year old for smoking, sunning (although I was always careful with my fair skin) and drinking so heavily, but that’s the 34 year old mom in me.
I think it is good that I can’t, though. It would take the awe and amazement out of the discoveries now. When I was 24, I thought life was grande. It would have ruined it for me to see an even grander vision in the future.
::oh, and I should add, I think my 24 year old self would be totally jealous of me. Awesome, way cool 14 year-old son, super hunky 26 year-old boyfriend, amazing friends, living in a cool city, about to celebrate the first year anniversary of a great business of and a lifestyle of giving that I’m way proud of. I should really spare her the envy and let her discover her agency for herself. 
14 Comments
I had so much to say about it that I wrote a whole blog entry:
http://laura.moncur.org/archives/2007/06/30/on-aging/
I want to tell my 21 year old self who was scared of getting older that it’s alright.
What an interesting post! I’m 34 now, going on 35, and things are slowly changing around for me. I still can’t run to save my life, but my hair! My hair has never been thicker, stronger and better looking. WTF? I’d have thought it would go the other way around.
If I had to tell my 24-year-old self some things, I’m not sure what I’d have said. I’ve made so many good decisions, and I made them pretty well without guidance. So I think maybe all I would tell myself is not to worry, things will work out really well…probably not a thing how I expect they would at 24 (I ended up married much sooner than I thought, living in a different country, working in a different industry, and with two kids (KIDS?!) to boot). But by every measure, it’s worked out well. Marriage is good. Kids are great. Career is way better than I envisioned, so I obviously did just fine. Just some gentle reassurances that I’m on the right track would probably suffice…oh, and a reminder to wear sunscreen, be sure to get enough calcium, and keep tucking away money (even if it’s just a little) for retirement. That’s a lifelong thing though, isn’t it?
Ask me what I’d tell myself at 18, though….WOW, that would a whole different story!!
Love the pic, btw.
Tara, poor you feeling age at 34 all I can say is that the next 44 years are even better. After 70 odd years I find life gets more fun. You stop worrying about things you find are unimportant. What things are unimportant? well you will just have to get there. The only guarantee I can offer is that you’re gonna be surprised.
Your migraines are probably stress induced try going from pilates to yoga especially Five Tibetans its easy but a great stress reducer without having to be a contortionist. Start studying nutrition and eating better I’m a raw food vegan if you don’t know what that is look it up.
Blessings on your birthday and have another 50.
Roger Wilks
rwilks@webband.com
The aerobic thing is weird. I’ve experienced it too over the past year (I turned 35 last year). Part of it for me is growing out of exercise-induced asthma, I think - though I still get it a little. The scary thing is that I can run further now than when I was 18 and 10kg lighter. Weight has been interesting: 18 years old = 68kg, 24 = 76 kg, 32 = 92kg, 34 = 86kg, now = 78kg. On the down side, I seem to have lost some flexibility in the past five years - not surprising really.
Roger’s comment about no longer worrying about things that you find are unimportant strikes a chord (and I have so much longer to go to get to his age!) I find the routine of making my own sourdough bread has helped in terms of stress relief (and helped my diet!)
I recently returned to my previous workplace (and team) after going teaching for 3 years. Some of my co-workers have commented that I am apparently a nicer person this time around. I’m certainly more patient (teaching does that to ya
I chilled out a lot, beginning in my late 20s. I’ll be 33 in August and it’s taken me this long to remind myself “that’s just the way things are” or “nothing you can do about that” or “it’s really not your fault” when things don’t turn out the way I hoped. I’ve gotten better at asking for what I want. I’ve gotten more visually creative.
Physically, I’m stronger than ever thanks to Pilates; on the down side I was until recently 15 pounds heavier than I’d ever been.
If I could talk to my 24-year-old self I would say, start exercising regularly and don’t quit. I’ve always been in fine enough shape but I think if I had exercised through my 30th birthday and up to now (I’ll be 33 on Aug. 13) I would have remained the same weight. It’s true about a slowed metabolism at 30.
I would also tell myself to back off on the late-nights and the high-maintenance friendships. I would have told myself to ask for more money and work for nicer people — I deserve it.
Nice post. You’ve put the emotional touch to a rather proffesional blog -which I like-.
Positive side: I’m 42, run my best 42km at 41. But I’m more focused now in gaining more flexibility than in the miles buildup. I saw many people getting crazy just for running too much (”vigorexia”). I think I’m wiser.
Negative issues: I quit from my job one year ago and still struggling with this little craft style Snark Consulting. It´s great this independence feeling but when you can get to conferences or have vacations… well, you feel rather depressed.
But this is Buenos Aires, Argentina. So you should divide by ten all my impressions…
Hi Tara,
Thanks for the post.
I turned 39 in April and I don’t like it. It is more than some hopes I had at 24 just haven’t come to pass, it is more than the memory and sentence lapses, the body changes, and the way that people perceive me as a single woman. There is something indefinable, like I want to have all the open doors and options that I had at 24, all the hope, all the belief that me and my weird art friends could change the world.
My thirties were about doors closing, hope being a very precious thing that I had to fight hard to protect, friends have married, moved and the community is dispersed. Even though the economy is back up, I am still fighting to retain and rejuvenate not just hope but some of the shine that the world had when I was younger.
This year has been about reconnecting and learning to be content.
So maybe it is amusing when I can’t remember the word for “tree” but I say to my friend, “You know the deciduous plant with leaves and a trunk… what do you call it?” Friend asks, “Are you talking about a TREE????” “Yes, a Tree! A tree! Thanks for the word.”
For me it is single syllable words I forget, but I will remember all the multi-syllable ones.
I just want to always be able to remember, say, and embrace the single syllables of hope and joy.
:o)
Exercise is the answer. Do more of it. Do it well, be smart.
Eat well, you are surrounded by all the right choices. Enjoy them.
Just like you, things started to change quickly at 32/33. Stomach aches, migranes, big, huge tire.
Bought a bicycle, then started to look at eating habits. Nothing radical, there was no magic switch, no major commitment or cold turkey anything. Just kept at it. Simply got on the bike almost everyday. Slowly but surely, things started to change for the better.
Today at 38 I am fitter, stronger, healthier than ever before in my life. I know I’m good. I can feel it. I am so looking forward to 40.
24 wasen’t all that long ago for me, but it still seems like ages.
Not so much physical (although having a kid would tell you otherwise)- more about confidence, and determination.
I would tell my 24 year old unemployed recently married and graduated self that she will get a job, she will find or create a community that will allow her to thrive. She will get to a point where people start seeking her out instead of her hunting.
Maybe it comes in stages. First self confidence, then physical confidence. In that respects- maybe there really aren’t that many physical changes- we are just more comfortable in our own skin.
Wow.
I’ve been thinking about this stuff a lot lately. I’ve been at the gym constantly and it’s not a chore - I love it and I feel great. I would have never felt like that when I was in my twenties.
Thanks for the personal post! I turned 35 in February. My head told me, “What is, is. Don’t worry about it.” But my heart said, “Yikes! I’m getting old.”
I do feel I’m getting sharper mind-wise but my lazy fitness tendencies are making me have to work really hard to keep the ass in check.
Like a lot of you, I wish I could tell my 25 year old self to stop drinking so much and don’t get married so early. I also would tell me to have more faith in myself.
These days I’m very happy with my career and kids. I feel I’m right on track for reaching some major goals which is a great feeling. I appreciate everyone’s candor and it’s good to know I’m not alone in my humanness.
Tara,
I also turn 34 this year. I think my preoccupation with age ended 16 months ago when I had my daughter and she has distracted my wife (also named Tara) and I from many less important issues, although I know my wife is still concerned about her body as she is due to give birth again in 5 weeks.
The most noticeable body part that I feel getting older is my lower back…probably from lifting my daughter up all the time. I probably have more skin lines, but I’m a guy and don’t think I notice them.
I have recently gone from being a goal-oriented runner to just a runner who runs for fun. What a nice change! I have stopped wearing a stop watch and have just run to be outside. Feels great.
Keep up your aerobic exercise and let’s all get old gracefully.
-Dennis
Well, I turn 50 next spring. All I can say, girl, is enjoy the ride!
So I was off work and surfing and found this place and thought I would join up. I don’t have much more to say right now except I need to start reading some of the older posts to get up to speed before I can start posting.
Em